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A DESCRIPTION. 

That Splendid list die and the Ancient Coun- 
try Seat of the Alexander family , 

KNOWN AS 



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SITUATE IN ALEXANDRIA COUMY, VIRGINIA, 



Lying on the Potomac River and 



OPPOSITE WASHINGTON CITY. 



TO BE SOLD AT PUBLIC AUCTION, 



ON THURSDAY, MAY I9TH, J881 



Terms: 

G-IVZEZLnT AT OUR OFFICE. 

l^sT" Full information. Maps. Terms and Specification Fur- 
nished BY 

THOMAS .1. FISHEK, 



Real Estate Agent, No. 1223 F St., Washington, I). ( 



ABINGTON. 



The old Virginia so famed in song and story, and histoi \ , i- 
surely, but slowly giving place to New Virginia — and soon 
the glories and glamours of the ancient Regime — will exist only 
in tradition; which will yet tenderly enshrine that period when 
the rich Virginia planter, lived like a baron of old England, 
surrounded by his vassals, who tilled the generous soil, bring- 
ing wealth out of the beautiful bosom of Mother Earth, while 
the owner of the broad acres, spent his life right royally in 
glorious ease. 

To the venerable survivors of a troubulous and stormy period. 
who can remember the dignity, wealth, and luxury of Virginia 
among the higher classes, in the ante-Bellum days — the selling 
of the ancient estates must be witnessed with unutterable pain 
— for it means the breaking up and scattering of old families, 
who have lived on their ancestrals homes generation after 
generation and who have pedegrees as long as a flag pole. 
J>ut time never stands still, anil when the war destroyed the 
corner stone of the Southern Institutions, and left at the close, 
its people poverty stricken in purse, though possessed of great 
tracts of unproductive land, the natural result followed, and the 
immense farms were subdivided and sold for what they would 
bring. 

In this wav the most celebrated estates in the ancient Domin- 
ion passed into strange hands. Homes which had descended 
from father to son for nearly two centuries in a long unbroken 
line of unblemished and illustrious ancestry, whose names are 
linked with the history of the country in all of its trials and 
glories, and whose homes had become synomymous tor elegant 
hospitality'; unstinted entertainment, and luxurious living, were 
sold after the war. tor a mere pittance under the hammer of the 
auctioneer. 

These old estates were in the very height of their pride and 
beauty, a hundred years ago, every breeze that rustles the tree 
tops, every wave that murmurs on the beach —brings back the 
brave, bright memories ol the past. The old walls have heard 
often the voicesof men that were kings among mortals in the days 
on the Revolution. The gnarled trees have witnessed in their 
youth many scenes thai modern eyes will never behold of grand 



entertainments where the vice regents of royalty desported 
themselves. Of grand meets — when the loyal subjects of the King 
met to chase the fox, and indulge in high wassail and revelry. 
These swaying trees have seen the red uniforms of Tarleton's 
troopers, and the buff and scarlet of the Hessians, And under 
their shade the young have grown old, the boy changed to a 
sage. 

There is an undeniable, a subtle charm about these Old Vir- 
ginia estates that money cannot buy, the huge mansion of red 
brick, tiie massive marble villa — built but yesterday, may rear 
its obtrusive head towards the stars, it may be tilled with all 
the luxuries that wealth can purchase, it may contain every- 
thing that can minister to the pleasure, or enthral the senses, 
and it may be furnished regardless of expense- still it is new, 
painfully new as freshly pressed wine, and the very magnificience 
j »alls upon the palate. 

It is the union of the mental pleasure, with the physical, a 
union of the taste and mind, that makes life so enjoyable in the 
country, and the shade of ancient trees, that count their lives 
by scores of years, is more welcome than the finest porch 
designed by Downing, or the most spacious piazza, constructed 
by Siers. 

We can look around in the ancient Dominion and see that 
every one of" the famous estates, have been bought by wealthy 
Northern men. Westover, on James River, the home of the 
SeMen's. furl's Neck, where the Allen's lived, Shirley of \he 
Carter's, Brandon of the Harrison's, Vaucl use near Alexandria, 
the property of the Cary's, Pampadike, Chantilly, of the 
Stuart's, Arlington of the Lee's, and a hundred or so more, 
which it is needless to mention. All of these superb estates are 
owned now by those fortunate men of wealth, who in peace and 
content can enjoy those homes, whose former possessors passed a 
hundred years in trying to make perfect. 

Among the most ancient of these country seats is 

ABINGTON 

The home a half century before the Revolutionary war of the 
Alexander family, ami which has been in their deeeudants pos- 
session off and on— for ten generations. 

It was first owned by one of the Scotch Alexander's, the 
younger son of the Earl of Sterling ; sometime in the begin- 
ning of the Seventeenth Century, when the ground on which 
Washington is built, was an unbroken solitude, and pathless 
forest. During the Revolutionary war, Mr. Alexander sold 
Abington to .Mr. ( 'astis who was the step son of George Wash- 



4 

in, and the father of George Washington Parke Custis of 
Arlington, who was the great stepson of General Washington. 
After the cessation of hostilities betweeD Greai Britain and 
America, when the first Virginia Legislature of the S*ate was 
dul) organized; General Washington, at his step son's requesi 
applied to the General Assembly of Virginia, to pay Mr. Alex- 
ander a certain amount of money in pound sterling, as the con- 
tinental currency he received tor Abington was worthless, this 
was done, and all parties were satisfied. 

After Mi - . Custis death, his widow married a Dot-tor Stuart, 
and they lived at Abington the rest of their lives. 

Whenever Washington passed through this part of Virginia 
he always stopped at Abington with his step son, and his room 
was kept ready tor him, and used for no other purpose. 

When .Mrs. Doctor Stuart, wee-Custis died, the estate passed 
in other hands, for Bome years it was owned by the Wise's o! 
Virginia. 

It was bought in the family again by General Alexander 
Hunter, who was Marshall of the United States for twenty-five 
years. He was a very wealthy man, and entertained in splen- 
did style. He would never build a line Manor house, though 
pressed for room, and often when urged to do so, he -used to sa\ 
that the house that was good enough for General Washington, 
was good enough for him. 

General Hunter resided at Abington in the summer and fall, 
and rode into the city daily on horseback. Here it was that 
the three Presidents Polk, Tyler and dackson were wont to 
make their visits for days at a time, for there was no formality 
or stilted style, nor office seeking either, and Abington to them 
was a blessed haven of rest. 

General Hunter spent heavy sums in the improvement of this 
farm, and it was in his day considered the very finest in Vir- 
ginia. 

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ABINGTON". 

It consists of four bundled and eighty acres, lying on both 
sides of the Alexandria and Washington Turnpike and rail- 
road within gunshot of the National Capital. The Chesa- 
peake and Ohio ('anal also runs paralleled to railway. 
These roads cut the estate in nearly equal parts. On tin- 
west side the property is unimproved, and lias about one 
hundred acres of char land on a level, the balance is hilly, the 
whole is bounded by superb heights of greater elevation than is 
even the hills of Arlington, the crest of these is surmounted bi 
fort Scott, long ago deserted, but during the war. one of the 



tjeavlesi Fortifications around Washington. The ground on 
this tract is of good quality. Some portions near the canal 
being fine brick land. On the heights there is a young and 
promising foresl growing up. These hills are well adapted for 
vineyards 

On the east side of the railroad and turnpike is the Abiagtm 
plain proper, jt consists of two hundred and fifty three acres, 
in the shape of a perfect paraleiograra. The land is very fer- 
tile, and takes so naturally to grass, that if allowed to remain 
untitled for any length of time, the clover springs up and covers 
the ground as it' it had been thickly sowed.. 

The improvements consist of the old manor house, which is 
very near the age of the original Declaration of Independence, 
and therefore in bad repair, indeed the mansion has seen its 
besl days, and it would not pay to modernize it, A large 
stone kitchen is worth fixing up. Across the way is the over- 
seer's house, also in a bad condition. 

The mansion is built in the centre of the trees, about a quar- 
ter of a miles from the turnpike, and the river. The grounds 
are spacious and gently rolling, and are terraced towards the 
East, it descends some forty or fifty feet A broad gravel walk 
runs from the house to the river shore. 

There are three never failing springs at. the foot of these ter- 
races, a wide deep ditch carries off the flow to the river. 

The bottoms between the springs, and the Potomac is well 
drained by blind ditches and pipes. A stone dairy is near by 
through whoso gutters run the cool waters of the spring. Sur- 
mounting the hill is the ice house, newly built, capable of hold- 
ing two hundred tons. 

THE LAWN 

Consists of ten (10) acres, beautifully shaded with full 
grown trees of many varities, aspen, locusts, elm, cedar, 
horse-chestnut, cherry, pear, apple and gum. This wide lawn 
-with its spreading houghs, is not equaled by any estate in 
Virginia. 

On the right about a hundred yards from the house is the 

ORCHARD 

seven or eight years old. Every one of these trees 
were carefully selected from a large slock, they consist of 
the Hubbarston Nonsuch. Wine Sap, Baldwin, Smith Cider, 
Tulpehocken, Paradise, Noblesse. Early Newington, Stump the 
World, Smocks Late*, Crawford I'avis. Admirable, Sennetts. 
Early York, Wards Late, and Shipper's Delight. 



6 

There is also a fine peach orchard in the place. 

A few years ago, while a member of' the House, 

PRESIDENT GARFIELD 

after a close personal survey of this property and af- 
ter several visits, in company with Judge Black, expressed the 
opinion that he had never seen in his life a more grand and 
beautiful country seat than Abington. He purchased a neat 
little farm of forty three acres, from off this estate, which 
he still holds. 

This splendid property appeals strongly to the Capitalists as 
an investment for it must within a lew years greatly enhance in 
value The reason is simple — Abington is the only solid river 
front, the Virginia .side from Washington to Alexandria, all 
other lands bordering the Potomac are liable to overflow in 
high tide or a freshet. The day that Congress makes an appro- 
priation for the reclamation of the flats, and Kidwell bottoms, 
will witness the doubling of the value of all the river frontage 
opposite the city — for the channel will be on the Virginia side, 
and the wharves, coal yards, and warehouses will of course 
be built close to the channel which will be crossed by a short 
bridge. It is a certain fact that soon the necessary appropria- 
tion will be made. The flood of last winter showed the abso- 
lute necessity of such a step. 

Property within a mile of a great and growing city never re- 
trogrades in price, it is bound to advance. 

TO DEALERS IN STOCK. 

Ami livery stable owners, and all who own fancy cattle and 
horses, this place is unequaled as a stock farm. While every 
city in the Union of the size of the National Capital, has a fa- 
mous farm, where gentlemen can always buy and dealers sell, a 
kind of TattersalLs, Washington has no such place for this spe- 
cial purpose. The situation is unequalled, its accessibility, its 
rich grazing lands, with clover knee high, and orchard grass 
nine months in the year, its pure water and flowing river 
close by affording the stock frequent baths, make it the place of 
all others. 

Besides this a handsome amount can be realized by pasturing 
horses from the city. 

For several years when farmed by its owner, one of its chief 
sources of revenue was receiving cattle and horses to graze by 
the week or month, street car horses, broken down by over work, 
livery stable horses pining for fresh pastures, cows that had 



goviQ dry, were sent out to Abington to recuperate. The stand- 
ard rates- charged tor grazing was for cows and cattle, two dol- 
lars per head a week, and for horses throe dollars, and there 
was always a greater demand than could be mot. 

DROVERS. 

Who desire to sfcarta stock yard, Abington offers a great in- 
ducement for that enterprise. For the yard is already built, 
and but for the insolvency of the contracting parties who en- 
gaged in it several years ago, would ere now be the great cattle 
market for supplying the three cities. This yard stands direct- 
ly at Waterloo Station, W. & A. Railroad, and but a short dis- 
tance from the Long bridge. To go ahead parties there is 
money in it. 

MARKET GARDNERS 

.Are informed that Abington is the best location anywhere 
around Washington tor early vegetables and small fruits. This 
is not a mere assertion unwarranted by facts, on the contrary 
for the last century five acres of the lowlands between the house 
and the river, has been a famous market garden, and years be- 
fore the war. its name has been a household word to the house- 
keepers of the National Capitol, and all the vegetables and 
fruits from the estate eagerly bought up. The soil, sheltered 
.situation, and moist warm spot, makes it thoroughly adapted 
for gardening. 

TO HOTEL MEN. 

This place is commended as a farm within fifteen minutes ride 
where they can raise everything for their own use. 

With this solid river front, and directly across the river from 
the Navy Yard, it would be a fine location for a manufactory. 

In every other city of any size in the Union manufactures 
always spring up on the opposite side of the river, and there is 
no place but Abington for such a purpose, as it is the only 
solid land not covered with water in freshets, in unusually 
high tides. 

As a Government Reservation a farm it would be the right 
place and the right spot. 

TO BRICK MAKERS. 

That section of Abington estate lying next to the railroad 
and the stock yard at Waterloo, and divided only by a fence 
i'roin Old Dominion brick company of Washington, offers great 
inducements for purchase by those desiring to manufacture 
brick. These spots of land adapted tor that purpose will he 
very valuable, and hard to get in the near future. 



TO DAIRYMEN. 

An examination of this estate shows it to be cureqcralled fbi 
this purpose, indeed Abington has been a dairy farm ever since 
the war and many thousands of dollars* have been □ acle bj this 
branch of industry. There is always a great demand foi pure 
cream in the summer time? not onlY by private parties, but 
ially by I 6nfe< tioners and hotels, and as cream is such a 
delicate article in summer, souring or getting brackish in the 
slightest change of temperature and thereby losing its value 
[1 ) b impossible for dairymen at a distance lo attempt to carry 
to the city pure sweet cream in the torrid days of summer, the 
monopoly is enjoyed by those fortunate few who lire close to 
the cities, and who have ice houses, and refrigerators to keep 
the cream at an ice cold temperature. The Abington dairy 
possesses unequaled facilities for the manufacture of the richest 
cream, and as it is placed in cans and the ice house and driven 
into Washington in the cool of the morning, there is no diffi- 
culty in disposing of the entire stock. To show the profits of 
milk the owners receipt book is open to inspection. In the 
year 1873, from a dairy oi' thirteen fresh tows, a cash profit 
for cream and milk amounted to twenty-three hundred dollars. 

In the raising of Corn great results have followed, in the low- 
grounds sixteen barrels of corn per acre were gathered mea- 
sured and sold in the Washington markets in a green state for 
$5 per barrel. This extraordinary yield will cease to be a mat- 
ter of wonder, when it is known that for one year all the street 
sweepings of Washington city amounting to thousands of tons 
of the finest manure, were brought across the river in scows 
and dumped on the Abington shore, of eoursi the proprietor 
made use of the opportunity, and heavily manured those fields 
nearest the river. 

But it is as a wealthy gentleman's 

COUNTRY SEAT 

that Abington is unexcelled and appears in its highest colors, 
and it is asserted in all fair faith that no more stately, lovely 
estate can be found anywhere. It is a place that to a gentle- 
man of means and taste, would be a place of pride and joy for- 
ever. The spacious lawn, the spreading trees, the location, and 
hue surroundings all combined, offers it a country home that 
cannot be found except on the Hudson river. 

Here the amateur farmer coidd create and carry out all of 
his agricultural dreams. He could raise the finest breeds of 
fancy cattle. He could have fine horses. He could plant vine- 
yards, orchards and small fruit in all their endless variety, 



9 

green houses could make beautiful the flower gardens, and his 
table could have the finest vegetables ahead of the season. On 
the sloping hill near the river is a perfect situation for a new 
orchard. On the level sward is the croquet ground where 
President G-arfieldhas played many a game. And shooting range 
to the Potomac could be made. 

The river distant about four hundred yards and reached by a 
broad gravel walk with a flower border on both sides, a boat 
house and bathing house could be built. 

One of the finest fishing shores in the vicinety for hauling 
seine is on the Abington banks, directly in front of the house. 
In the low lands there is a wide ditch twelve feet across by six 
feet deep, which by means of a water gate would, make an ex- 
cellent fish preserve where choice kinds could be kept ready for 
the tables at all times. All that makes a country existence en- 
joyable, especially to the female branch of the family is found 
here. 

In the night the exquisite beauty of the scene only is com- 
plete the view is like enchantment and is inexpressly lovely, 
the three cities, Washington, Georgetown and Alexandria, 
in front on the right and left, with their countless lamps re- 
flected back by the water, the moving lights of the passing 
steamers, making a brilliant panoramic sight, that is rarely 
equalled. On a calm still night the music from the garrison 
band at the Navy Yard only one mile distant is distinctly audi- 
ble. 

Much stress has been laid on the beauty and fitness of this 
place as a country seat, and it may appear overdrawn, but it is 
not so, all that is asked is this, let any one give a personal in- 
spection of the place and judge for himself. 

In conclusion should a wealthy gentleman purchase Abing- 
ton, he can erect on the site of the now crumbling house, a man- 
sion that would set off the lovely surroundings, and be in keep- 
ing with the spacious grounds. 

DIVISION. 

The property will be divided into four parts and sold. All 
the west side of some two hundred acres will be sold entire. The 
mansion house ground, etc., consisting of one hundred and fifty 
acres will be disposed of in one part, next seventy acres running 
to the river the third, and thirty three acres adjoining and run- 
ning to Watterloo station, will be sold by itself. 



10 

TERMS. 
Made known at our Office. 

Visitors desiring; of visiting the property can apply to us — or 
can take the cars at depot corner of Pennsylvania avenue and 
Sixth street to Waterloo station on the Washington and Alex- 
andria Railway, a mile and a half from the city. 

THE HEALTH 

Of Abington is the same as in Washington and Alexandria, 
neither better nor worse. The place is sold simply because the 
tenant system is ruining it, and because the owner lacks means 
to renovate it, and because her profession calls her elsewhere. 

ROADS. 

The present road to Washington is over the Long bridge on 
which no toll is charged. Congress during its last session 
passed a bill appropriating si 30, 000 for a free bridge between 
Alexandria county and the National Capital. This will give 
another direct and safer line to the city. 

TAXES. 

Taxes in the State are very low being but fifty cents on the 
hundred dollars. 

We cordially invite attention to all who desire land, the sale 
at auction will be peremptory and without reserve at 2 o'clock 
P. M. 

Sale will take place on Thursday, May 19th, 1881 if fair, if 
weather is foul the sale will be postponed until Tuesday 24th. 

It' desired Abington will be sold at private sale. 

T110S. J. FISHER, 
Real Estate Agent, 
No. 1223 F Street, Washington, D. C. 



SS3H9NOD iO AMVHail 



